Abstract

Benjamin Britten's War Requiem, first performed in 1962 at the dedication of the newly rebuilt Coventry Cathedral, juxtaposes the poetry of Wilfred Owen and the traditional requiem mass. This essay investigates the relationship between these two bodies of work and the manner in which Britten uses irony to memorialize the fallen of World Wars I and II.

Suggested Citation

Tackett, Justin C., ""Dona Nobis Pacem": The Ironic Message of Peace in Britten's War Requiem" 01 December 2006. CUREJ: College Undergraduate Research Electronic Journal, University of Pennsylvania, http://repository.upenn.edu/curej/72.